The Office of Public Affairs

The Public Affairs Office provides statistics, biographies, photos, background information, and other resources to media representatives reporting on the mission and ministries of The Episcopal Church

Julia Ayala Harris

Julia Ayala Harris, President of the House of Deputies
Julia Ayala Harris

At the 80th General Convention in 2022, Julia Ayala Harris was elected president of the House of Deputies, the presiding officer who works alongside the presiding bishop.

President Ayala Harris is the first Latina and woman of color to hold the position. She is passionate about a multitude of issues, such as immigration, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and truth-telling, as well as justice initiatives.

As a lay leader, President Ayala Harris served the church in multiple roles, including leadership roles on the Executive Council; the Presiding Officers’ Working Group on Truth-Telling, Reckoning, and Healing; and the Task Force for Women, Truth, and Reconciliation, among various other legislative committees and interim bodies.

In The Episcopal Church, President Ayala Harris has continually found healing, blessing, and wholeness in God’s unconditional love. Throughout her lay ministry, she has worked to bring about a church that can share that blessing with all of God’s people.